Independent Agencies Dominated Cannes 2025
of all Lions went to independent agencies
Film Craft: 40.7% indie wins. Creative B2B: 33.3% indie wins. Serviceplan took home 30 Lions including a Grand Prix.
But when the awards were over? Indies had nowhere to go. No home base. No dedicated space. Just massive holding company beach clubs with 2,000 people, celebrity DJs, and zero substance.
We're changing that in 2026.
Indies at Cannes is the first dedicated space for independent agencies at Cannes Lions. Intimate venue. Real conversations. Strategic relationships. CMOs and agency leaders who chose substance over spectacle.
This is the moment to own the indie agency conversation—before the holding companies wake up.
The Opportunity for Sponsors
Be the first brand to own the independent agency conversation at Cannes
First-Mover Advantage
- No one owns this space yet
- Define the indie conversation with us
- Exclusive positioning with decision-makers
- This becomes an annual tradition—be founding partner
Quality Over Quantity
- ~200 participants over 4 days
- 70%+ are director-level or above
- An oasis from the chaos
- Real conversations vs. 2,000-person mosh pit
Year-Round Platform
- Not just 4 days—full IAN ecosystem
- 2.5x better engagement than industry avg
- Daily content, newsletter, social amplification
- Ongoing visibility before, during, after Cannes
About the Venue & Experience
Sunday, June 21 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | The Secret Garden, Cannes | 15-minute walk from Palais
The Space
- 70-person capacity (intimate by design)
- Indoor/outdoor spaces
- Full AV capabilities
- Private meeting areas
- Walking distance to everything
The Programming
- Sunday: Wellness + Father's Day BBQ
- Mon-Wed: 6 sessions per day (18 total)
- Daily breakfast, lunch, happy hour
- Mid-market case studies
- CMO Confessions (off-record)
Who Attends
- Independent agency founders & CEOs
- Mid-market CMOs ($250M-$1B brands)
- Decision-makers, not tourists
- People who value substance over flash
- Strategic thinkers building relationships
Sponsorship Opportunities
Presenting Partner
Own the entire indie agency narrative at Cannes 2026
Title Sponsorship
- "Indies at Cannes 2026, presented by [Your Brand]"
- Title billing on all materials and communications
- Branding throughout the venue
- Bespoke landing page before, during and after event
- Opening remarks Monday + Closing remarks Wednesday
- Priority booking for meeting area in venue
The Indie Tracker
- Branding on real-time Cannes Lions scoreboard
- Own the real-time Cannes Lions scoreboard
- Daily email digest to 2,200+ subscribers
- Associated with every indie agency win
- Year-round archived visibility
- Post-event comprehensive recap edition
- You become the indie performance authority
Video Content Ownership
- Logo on ALL video content (18 sessions + interviews)
- Opening/closing slate on every video
- Co-branding on all distribution channels
- Access to raw footage for your use
- Evergreen visibility (content lives forever)
Strategic Partnership
- First right of refusal for 2027
- Input on programming themes
- 15 wristbands
Additional Sponsorship Opportunities
High-visibility, focused sponsorships. All exclusive.
| Sponsorship | Investment | Key Benefit | Access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch Sponsor | $10,000 | Branded lunches Mon-Wed, prime midday visibility | 4 bands | Sold |
| Breakfast Sponsor | $10,000 | Branded breakfasts Mon-Wed, first touchpoint every morning | 4 bands | Reserve → |
| Happy Hour Sponsor | $15,000 | Branded happy hours Mon-Wed, biggest networking moment daily | 6 bands | Reserve → |
| Sunday BBQ Sponsor | $15,000 | Own Father's Day celebration, most shareable moment of the week | 6 bands | Reserve → |
| Sunday Wellness Sponsor | $15,000 | First touchpoint of the week, wellbeing positioning | 5 bands | Reserve → |
Combine BBQ + Wellness for $25,000 (save $5,000) — 10 bands included
| Sponsorship | Investment | Key Benefit | Access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wristband Sponsor | $10,000 | Logo ON every wristband | 4 bands | Reserve → |
| Hydration Partner | $10,000 | 500 custom bottles distributed throughout the week, essential in 102° heat | 4 bands | Reserve → |
Be the First. Own the Space.
Limited sponsorships available. Build a new tradition with us.
Define the indie agency conversation now and in the future.
Questions? Let's talk: za****@*********cy.news